The steer axle wheels on our recently purchased 92 U240 are untrue. I found one never used wheel from an 82 Foretravel that was a mounted spare wheel. Ride is much improved but I'm still in need of one additional Alcoa wheel to replace the other steer wheel.
Wheels are part number 863103 (22.5 x 6.75). They are 6 lug wheels. Part number should be on the inside of wheel near outside edge.
I wanted to see if anyone on the forum had any advice for a good resource for these old wheels?
As always, I appreciate your help.
Michael
You might give Colaw salvage in Mo. a call. Don't tell them you need a wheel for a Foretravel just give them the size and number. I have to make a run over to Kilgore one day next week and will swing by the truck wrecking yard over there. Most of there stuff is oil field trucks so the odds are pretty slim that they will have one but it don't cost anything to look. I will get back to you if I find something.
Mike
Thank you Mike. Have a wonderful thanksgiving
When you say the wheels are untrue? The actual rims themself are untrue? Not being familiar with your wheels makes me curious as to why you could have a pair of damaged rims? I've seen defective tires run out of round but the rims were not the issue.
If the rim is bent it can be repaired, google wheel rim repair in your area.
Michael,
Last night I contacted a former 1994 U240 owner in Arizona who I knew had sold his coach and remembered that he might have a spare Alcoa 6.75X22.5 wheel.
I sent you an e-mail with info.
Also, there are several different part numbers for Alcoa 6.75X22.5 wheels-- most reflect which (if either) surface has been polished. With a little (OK, more than a little) elbow grease an unpolished can be polished.
Brett
Yes the 102 is the outside rear and yes I believe it would work as well with a polishing for a steer wheel. I'd be glad with either.
Yes it's strange, but both front rims were actually bent. At first I thought it was the tires that came with the coach. When I bought new Toyos for the coach, it became apparent that the rims were actually bent. It was pretty obvious when it was on the wheel balancer. I replaced the worst wheel last week with a true wheel which made a big difference. It was under a Foretravel for 42 years as a spare and I don't think it was ever on a hub. It's the hard part of buying the thirty-two year old coach we bought without really knowing its history beyond the past nine years. That paired with the old six lug hub adds a challenge. Glad I enjoy giving new life to old stuff :)
David, thank you for sharing your thought about getting my rim repaired. I know of a place in town that repairs wheels and can check in with them and see what they think.
Brett, thank you for checking with your friend for me. I'd be so glad to smooth out the ride on this wonderful machine.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
Maybe swap the best of the 6 to steer? A slight wobble mixed into the rears might not show . Put them on the outside so that you can swap out if you find a better sett
As Brett says, there are polished and unpolished plus some will have a different offset. The online Alcoa catalogue will have the part numbers. We didn't have a spare but found one on Marketplace with a tire on it for $80 matte finish in decent shape. Have the part number in hand before buying.
New Alcoas are not that expensive. They are forged not cast so like Porsche but much less expensive. The advantage is that they can bend a huge amount without chunking a pieces off like a cast aluminum wheel. Makes them easy to straighten.
Pierce
I'll check next week with our local shop to see if they think they can help the wheel I have. They've done some repairs to the wheels to my Rover in the past. I looked on Alcoa's site and it doesn't look like they manufacture the part number of wheels our 92 has any longer. I'll try reaching out to them and confirm they can't make them anymore.
It's all an adventure :)
All of mine are the same physically. Just polished on one side or the other.
I have polished the rough side to use on the front. .
Our '93 U300 took the same wheel most common on big rigs. Might be a different offset for 96 inch vs 102 inch coach. I've used the spare a couple of times so know it fits. But yours is 6 lug vs our 10 so probably harder to find. Try FB Marketplace. Looks like your wheel is 6.75" wide.
Pierce
Doubt they are the same wheel. The U240 uses 9 R tires on 6.75X 22.5 rims (though many have upgraded to Michelin 255/80R22.5 and a few to other brand's 265/75R22.5. I know the Michelin 255's work on the 6.75 wheel).
The U300 uses 275/80R 22.5 which would not fit on 6.75 rims.
I've looked everywhere for about 10 minutes. This was also a problem a few years ago: HELP - Desperately Need Alcoa 22.5" x 6.75" Aluminum 6 Lug Wheel (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=34338.0)
Pierce
I am not knowledgeable of this series of RVs. Maybe wider wheels are available, or the hubs-rotors can be upgraded. Give it a more modern ride and handling.
Wider than 6.75 wouldn't really help me as I'd be buying new tires again and tire rub would be excessive. If no one has any laying around 😂. And Alcoa doesn't make them any longer, straightening what I have may be my only option. I lucked out that my dad had an unused wheel available from an old coach. These Velvet Ride coaches just don't seem to like not perfectly true wheels.
Are those wheels available in steel?
Seems really expensive. 22.5x6.75 White Steel 6x8.75" (Replaces 20" Tube Type) – Buy Truck Wheels (https://buytruckwheels.com/products/22-5x6-75-white-steel-6x8-75-replaces-20-tube-type?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAjKu6BhAMEiwAx4UsAka-1O8NHeED9gFk7h8WfD7uSugry5DfARluO_3QxXMnVPbQAz4kVxoC9fQQAvD_BwE)
Pierce
Plus the cost of wheel covers or simulators to make them "presentable".
And then the hope is that they are round and true. Experienced my share of new wheels that were not!
Michael,
I went by the truck salvage yard today hunting several items. They had several stacks of both steel and aluminum wheels but none were the 6 hole you were needing. At least it was worth looking. He took my number and said he would contact mee if some came in any time soon.
Mike
There's one in the Forum classified right now
I saw that Brett's friend still had his. I've got mine going to a wheel repair shop. I'll see what they can do with mine. Thank you Brett and everyone who has been looking for me. I've I were closer to AZ I'd buy the one Brett has listed as a spare. Anyone close who has a 6 lug Foretravel ought to buy it as they are hard to find.